About This Project

A major reason that lions are in decline is that many are killed every day in retaliation for eating livestock. As ambush predators, lions rely on stalking and surprise, so being seen by their prey usually means they abandon their hunt. In rural Botswana I will test whether painting intimidating eye patterns onto cows hides reduces livestock losses. If successful, this inexpensive tool will help to safeguard the lives of lions and the livelihoods of subsistence farmers alike.